A tenugui is a thin Japanese hand towel made of cotton with over 1,000 years of history. Originally, tenugui were used in Shinto rituals and by samurai to keep the sweat out of their eyes when wearing helmets. In the Edo period, the tenugui became valued not only for its practical function but also for its artistic possibilities. To this day the tenugui retains some traces of its samurai origins. Lacking a sewn in hem enabled samurai to tear long strips from their tenugui to bind wounds sustained in battle.

Tenugui can be used as hand towels, bandanas, handkerchiefs, cloth for wrapping small gifts and an elegant towel to clean and polish tools. Cut them in half and use as sustainable cloth napkins!